Emmanuel to perform in Newton

Guitar Virtuoso to hit the stage

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Newton — Australian guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel will bring his rare and beautiful talent to the Newton Theatre on Friday, Aug. 15. Tickets went on sale March 28.

Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected and best-loved musicians. With a professional career spanning five decades, Emmanuel has garnered hundreds of thousands of loyal fans worldwide. His award-winning career comprises multiple genres including jazz, rock, blues, and country. His live shows are known for their humor, performance, passion, and infectious joy.

A child prodigy, Emmanuel began playing guitar at age four, and by age six was a part of his family’s professional band. He is known for his distinctive “finger style” playing, using all ten fingers—a technique he was inspired to try after hearing his hero, the legendary Chet Atkins, play in the early 1960s. Atkins later became a mentor to Emmanuel. In 1996, they jointly recorded the album The Day The Finger Pickers Took Over The World, for which Emmanuel received his first of two GRAMMY nominations (and which was Atkins’ last album). In 1999 Atkins presented Emmanuel with a coveted “Certified Guitar Player Award,” an honor of rare distinction the Nashville icon bestowed on only four other guitarists before his death in 2001.

In 2000 after an amazing performance with his brother Phil at the Sydney Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, the world wanted to know who this mysterious Australian guitar virtuoso was. The following year Emmanuel released his first solo-acoustic album, ONLY. Since then his popularity has grown by leaps and bounds aided by a non-stop touring schedule and increasing exposure in the media.

Emmanuel’s catalogue includes over twenty recordings of solos, duets, ensembles and more, utilizing both electric and acoustic guitar. He regularly teaches master classes while on the road and he has been twice awarded top honors in Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers Choice awards.

Performing live for his fans is extremely important to Tommy, who plays about 300 concerts every year. Guitar players of all levels come to his shows to watch him work his magic, but his appeal goes far beyond musicians. Tommy Emmanuel’s message is his pure love for the music and his delight in sharing it with the world, one audience at a time. Tickets for Tommy Emmanuel are $47 for Premium seating, $42 for the Orchestra and $37 for the Balcony. To purchase tickets by visiting www.thenewtontheatre.com or contact the Box Office at 973-383-3700.

The historic Newton Theatre, located at 234 Spring St. in Newton, NJ, was founded in 1924. Revitalized and fully renovated, Sussex County’s premier entertainment venue reopened in 2011 as a 605 seat capacity live performing arts center. With it’s rich history and diverse programming The Newton Theatre is essential to the buoyancy of New Jersey’s Skylands region. More information about The Newton Theatre may be found by calling 973-383-3700 or by visiting its website at www.TheNewtonTheatre.com.